Comments about Wilcox Crittenden Wilcox Crittendon Head Service & Repair Kits:

My Headmate started having problems a couple of weeks ago, back pressure wouldn't pump out, handle wouldn't go down. I researched and decided to tear it apart figuring that it was probably a wad of tissue. And in fact there was some present which I discovered after an hour or two of hoping that the designers of this head and it's pump assembly from hell were experiencing the same level of frustration I was. Anyway I put it all back together flipped the lever to flush and water came in. Flipped the lever to dry and got the same resistance on the handle which prevented it from going down again. I loosened the discharge flange, relieved the pressure and noticed the joker valve was inverted like it had been turned inside out almost. Fixed that tried again and the same results.

Now I assumed that a rebuild was in order so I got the kit and carefully replaced all the supplied parts. I made sure all surfaces were clean for valves to seat right, lubed the pump handle and even primed the pump like the instructions said. Reinstalled and had water coming in fine with the lever in the vertical position. I flipped the lever to dry making sure it went past horizontal kind of clicking into place. I pumped it a few times it started to flush and then back pressure that wouldn't let the handle down in dry or wet mode. Took it apart again and the joker valve which I had just replaced was again inverted not allowing the pump to discharge. I got Thetford's customer service on the phone and the guy explained that there was only one employee still with the Company that knew the Headmate toilet. But he was there and they offered some suggestions none of which really helped. I then explained the inverted joker valve and he said it was defective and they would send me out a new kit next week.

Now I'm not an expert in these maters but the original joker valve looked just fine and the replacement was good as well. I can't see or imagine how that valve could go bad and at any rate somehow it's getting sucked into the inverted position after just a couple stokes of the pump. Has anyone had a similar experience?

Comments about Wilcox Crittenden Wilcox Crittendon Head Service & Repair Kits:

This kit was, as promised, a rebuild kit for the W-C head. It contained all the necessary parts. After installing, however, the pump will not draw seawater, perhaps because the cheap pump housing cracked during installation. Instead of buying this rebuild kit for a head with a poor reputation, I wish I had just bought an entirely new head unit, which I will have to do anyway. If you are planning to rebuild a W-C you might wish to save your money and just buy a new head.